Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

The line written just below the headline, pushed down by news of the Federation’s political affairs, adorns the front page of the extra edition that the newspaper occasionally publishes.

“Benjamin. Is your late return to the Federation possibly related to this?”

I deliberately folded the newspaper as I turned it towards Benjamin.

I was concerned that Benjamin might not recognize which article I was referring to.

However…

Making my worry seem pointless, Benjamin opened his mouth while looking at the wine glass instead of the newspaper.

“Hehe. You’ve only grown older, Eugene, but you’re just like Ellie, aren’t you?”

“Pardon?”

“You’re asking why I came back so late, right? Since you’re asking so seriously, I’ll answer. My joints got bad, so it took me a while to walk from Leman to the port. The problem was I didn’t know it would take four years.” [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“Benjamin. I bet you still hear Dorothy telling you not to joke around?”

“…Like sister, like brother.”

Benjamin clicked his tongue and complained.

His voice was so nonchalant that I momentarily doubted whether Dorothy and I were actually connected by blood.

I wanted to twitch my lips.

But since all traces of humor had completely left me from the moment I took out the newspaper, I couldn’t laugh even if I wanted to.

As I maintained a serious expression, Benjamin soon shed his playfulness and spoke softly.

“I don’t think that adults necessarily like heavy conversations. Joking is a virtue of a relaxed adult.”

“When did you come up with that principle?”

“I just made it up now. Eugene. I didn’t know you’d grown into an adult who wants to hear about international affairs by throwing down a newspaper at a drinking session.”

“Huh.”

“You can put the newspaper back.”

Benjamin swirled his glass around.

“I have a general grasp of it anyway.”

“…”

I remained silent.

I had expected it, but the weight of expectation and certainty is different.

“Did Klaus tell you why I was sent to the Empire?”

“No.”

“Then you must have deduced it on your own. Let me hear it.”

I did as he said.

I slowly started to explain, organizing in my mind the inference that had started from the Coffee Club in my first year of undergraduate studies.

The conflict between the former and current chancellors of the Frauvian Federal University of Magic. The Black Shield Faction. Discrimination based on origin and factional fights in the magical academic world.

“…And your unscholarly behavior must have played a part, too, Benjamin.”

“You… Should you have become a detective instead of a scholar?”

“Weren’t we done with the jokes?”

“There are probably still people who think I was expelled from the academe for destroying the former chancellor’s statue.” [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“As expected. That was just a charge they pinned on you because they had no proper justification, right?”

“Hmm, I did break the statue.”

“…”

“Don’t look at me like that. Anyway, that’s almost a perfect deduction. Now, it’s my turn to answer your question, but before that, Eugene.”

Benjamin put down his glass completely and closed and opened his eyes.

A sharp gaze.

But with a somewhat pitiful look in his eyes, Benjamin looked at me and spoke as if he saw through everything.

“What’s making you anxious?”

“Pardon?”

“I heard from Klaus about how you spent the last few years. You entered the Frauvian Federal University of Magic as the top student, graduated early at the top of your class, immediately entered the doctoral program, and earned your doctorate degree in just a year.”

My life in the Federation was summarized in one sentence.

While I was briefly reflecting on the past at this surprisingly concise summary, Benjamin continued.

“Having achieved a lot also means you have a lot to lose.”

“That’s…”

“Eugene. Are you afraid that war might break out again?”

“…!”

For a moment, my heart sank.

Both because I finally encountered the word I had been avoiding all this time and because Benjamin had pinpointed my intention to ask indirectly in one go.

I glanced at my face reflected in the purple surface of the wine glass and said:

“I’m not afraid of war.”

War.

It’s not the thing itself that’s frightening.

It’s due to a simple geographical reason.

This is Frauzen, the center of the three Federation countries. Even during the war a dozen or so years ago, the flames of war didn’t reach here.

War is too broad a category. It’s so big that it’s even difficult to become a source of anxiety.

The problem was in the microscopic.

Me.

“Then?”

“You’re right, Benjamin. I’ve gained more things to be responsible for.”

As soon as I finished speaking, I shook my head.

That’s not it.

“No, it’s the opposite. Too much faith has been placed in me.”

“Faith, you say.”

“I’m from the Empire.”

I realize it again after a long time.

My origins.

“Who in this Federation would welcome an outsider?”

“There’s one right here.” [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“Pardon?”

“There might be more eccentrics than you think who would gladly accept a gray-haired weirdo like you, Eugene.”

“…Haha.”

Benjamin grins.

His casual agreement made me burst into laughter.

“Yes. I know.”

That’s right.

I know the weight of trust.

The Oslo family. The father and daughter of the Müller family. Werner. The connections I’ve made at the University of Magic, the Eastern Telegraph Bureau, and the Nocturne Club.

I’ve never doubted the sincerity of their trust while receiving it.

Maybe it would be okay even if I revealed my origins.

It might just become a topic of conversation for one night, or despite hiding it all this time, I might just hear jokes like “Tell us about your childhood” or “You’ve come a long way,” and that would be the end of it.

A dream-like story.

It’s a possible story for individuals.

Society is not like that.

The academe. The city. The country.

No society would take my confession lightly.

“…A tightrope walker falling due to wind only hurts themselves. But lighting the fuse of a time bomb is a different story. It hurts everyone else.”

“Hmm.”

“If I was the former in the Empire, now, I’m the latter. And now, a lantern named war is flickering in front of my eyes.”

War is a significant external threat that no single society can handle. 

Therefore?

Society will focus on eliminating internal threats that it can control.

And here’s the perfect prey.

It’s no use hiding my origins. 

Downfall. Expulsion. Dismissal. 

They will shake my position in different ways and with different justifications.

They will make me follow in Benjamin’s footsteps.

Ellie and Sally’s tears are still vividly in my mind.

This flow creates separation and sorrow. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

I don’t want to make the family I’ve just reunited with anxious. My research with Werner has just begun. I can’t let Julia wait endlessly anymore.

With that in mind, I asked:

“Benjamin.”

My teacher and father.

“What should I do?”

Please teach me.

Only after I parted my lips did I realize I was drunk.

Falling into a spiral of depression while making assumptions is one of the typical drunken behaviors.

A few years ago, when I was watching a thoroughly drunk young man at the Nocturne Club spewing out all sorts of pessimistic terms about relationships, I didn’t know I would end up like this.

I took a sip of water with a sigh mixed with intoxication.

Just drinking some water won’t clear my head, but my stomach seemed to highly appreciate such efforts.

With a somewhat clearer mind, I shook my head.

“Please forget the question I just asked. I, I’m weak to alcohol…”

“Good.”

“Pardon?”

An answer came to the request not to answer.

As I raised my head in puzzlement, Benjamin was grinning.

I had never seen such a serious smile in my life.

“Uh…”

“It’s been four years since I’ve done this, too.”

While I was dumbfounded, Benjamin spread two fingers and brought them right in front of my blurry focus.

He did that so I could see clearly, even with my intoxicated vision.

His mouth opened.

“Here’s a quiz for you. If war breaks out again, which side should you take?”

“Pardon?”

“First, the Empire where you were born and raised. Second, the Federation that made your dream come true.”

“That’s, a question that relies too much on value judgment…”

“I’m not asking for a Zen kōan *1. It’s a quiz.”

Benjamin’s smile was as serious as Professor Müller’s expressionless face.

Even his gaze seemed to say, ‘Think carefully and answer.’ Benjamin’s entire expression was proof that this contradictory quiz was no joke.

Then.

“…”

I have no choice but to think properly.

At this moment, I removed all formalities and hypocritical morality from my mind.

Then, my consciousness answered.

‘To be honest, I’m no different from a Frauvian.’

It was true.

Just as there are plenty of people who resent their birth parents, there must be plenty who avoid the land where they were born and raised.

Biological relationships and the symbolism of one’s hometown are less important. In both cases, what truly matters is affection, and my affection towards the Empire is extremely thin. 

‘Yes. I should side with the Federation…’

However, contrary to my expectations, my consciousness was fickle. 

‘Do you want the Empire, which has become a land barren of magic, to finally fall completely?’ 

Damn it.

As I tried to silence my consciousness, my subconscious started to come up with genius ideas.

What does it matter if I think of myself as a Frauvian?

The Federation won’t accept me anyway.

To make matters worse, as the incident at the World Expo in Lutenberg began to flash through my mind, I gritted my teeth.

A dilemma of logic unfolds.

The Federation and the Empire. The Empire and the Federation.

And I…

“…I can’t decide.”

I gave up answering.

It was pathetic. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Benjamin’s teaching methodology was quite haphazard, but his teaching system was quite sophisticated.

As such, there must have been a hidden intention in that question…

Wait a minute.

I suddenly tilted my head.

Was Benjamin such a systematic person?

As soon as that thought occurred to me, Benjamin spread his third finger.

“Third, take no one’s side.”

“Huh.”

“This is the undoubted correct answer.”

“The answer wasn’t among the options.”

When I retorted, the smile on Benjamin’s lips deepened.

“Life is like that originally.”

“You’re not joking, are you?”

“Of course not. I told you. It’s the undoubted correct answer. I’m not beating around the bush saying that deferring an unanswerable question is the true correct answer.”

Benjamin rolled his eyes.

“Don’t take anyone’s side. This is the correct answer.”

“…May I ask why?”

“Because you’re a magic scholar.”

“Ah.”

Then, Benjamin began to provide a supplementary explanation.

“The reason for my late return to the Federation is, simply put, due to the internal situation in the Empire. Eugene. Even before I met you, I was treated as a thorn in the side by the occupying forces. Since their job was to erase magic, they were wary of an educational philanthropist like me. After you left, after the troop withdrawal had progressed considerably, the occupying forces, who no longer had to be cautious, started to go wild. I had to stay and stop them. That’s why Dorothy’s return was delayed, to help me.”

“I see.”

“Yes. Of course, I’ve been submitting requests to return since about two years ago, but they were ignored every time. I had fallen out of favor. I thought I was going to die in the Empire for sure. Can you guess how I managed to return in that situation?”

I chose the most plausible option among the candidates that came to mind and answered.

“Was it thanks to the petition of the current Chancellor of the University of Magic?”

“It helped, but it wasn’t the main reason.”

“Then…”

“It was because of that.”

What Benjamin pointed at was the newspaper.

The one with that article.

Benjamin smiled bitterly.

“That article is the result of the few remaining occupation forces retreating in the face of armed forces demanding the return of magic. To prevent even the slightest chance of returning magic to them, the occupation forces disposed of all the intellectual resources remaining in the Empire. I was one of those ‘intellectual resources’.”

“…”

“I don’t regret spending seven and a half years in the Empire. But I’ve done a terrible thing to Susan and the family. Cough!”

Perhaps he had talked too much.

Benjamin covered his mouth with a handkerchief and had a fit of coughing.

After putting the handkerchief back, Benjamin concluded his words.

“Eugene.”

“Yes.”

“You are a magic scholar. War is the business of soldiers, politicians, and diplomats, not scholars. You shouldn’t intervene rashly, and even if they demand intervention, you should remain silent.”

“…”

“It’s a turbulent era. You must row carefully.”

As the serious conversation ended, Benjamin’s lips once again curved into a smile.

“While they focus on figuring out the complicated political situation, let’s focus on our field. Eugene. I hear you’ve completed my theory or something?”

“Ah. Yes, that’s right.” [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“I’ve read your paper, but I’d like to hear an explanation. We have plenty of time, so let’s have a leisurely talk about magic studies. We should call Louise, too.”

“…Haha. Sounds good.”

Perhaps due to the reduced pressure…

I could smile back at Benjamin.

“And.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll listen to the story about the Müller family’s daughter slowly.”

“…Wait a minute?”

“Why. Did you think I wouldn’t know? How naive.”

Just before I could urgently ask again, Benjamin chuckled and stood up.

“Sleep well. See you tomorrow.”

“Benjamin!”

#January 19th. Clear.

Two days later…

The day dawned for Federal Army Major Dorothy Oslo’s return to her unit.

T/N

Short statements (or questions) that are often a paradox, Zen kōans came about for the purpose of fostering contemplation. They’re used primarily in the Soto tradition of Zen Buddhism; they’re seen as a meditative technique.

Hello! Axiomatic here.

Thank you for reading this set of five! Benjamin’s the same as ever, it seems. We’ve finally reached Chapter 100, and it seems the ending conflict of this novel is slowly approaching. We do have 40 chapters to go, after all.

See you tomorrow for the next set!