Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

“Dr. Oslo, it’s based on the research you helped with.”

I stopped breathing.

I deeply etched into my chest that air is indeed a fluid. At this moment, my lungs felt suddenly heavy as if they had inhaled water instead of air.

Despite this feeling of suffocation, my reason began to reminisce on its own.

It suddenly comes to mind.

Memory is not linear text. Reminiscence is not an act of recalling only the facts as if reading a court precedent, and the five senses come along as a bonus.

Thus, with each continuing reminiscence, hallucinations and auditory illusions arose in my features.

The cheers of experimental success, the sound of insects heard while conducting the final review of the paper as a co-author, the writing on the blackboard visible when I occasionally turned around, tired of writing…

[ Mass = L / V² ]

The reminiscence stopped.

Because the Lieutenant Colonel opened his mouth again.

“You know better than anyone what it means, Doctor. And, whether you intended it or not, both the Federation’s higher-ups and the Empire’s Reactionary Government have come to understand its meaning.”

“The Empire’s side too?”

“Yes. Unlike the Reactionary Government’s public plea for the return of magic, internally, circumstances have been detected indicating they’ve secured enough resources and talent to form a Magic Research Team.” [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

The Lieutenant Colonel’s gaze sharpened.

“And they’re likely proceeding with weaponization independently.”

“…”

“I know you heard from Lieutenant Zeller that war won’t break out. He’s right. The conditions aren’t good for either side for a war that fits the classical definition―”

“But if it’s a war that deviates from the old definition…”

I interrupted the Lieutenant Colonel.

The gazes of Lieutenant Colonel Dietrich and Lieutenant Zeller focused on me.

“If it’s that kind of war, you mean it will happen.”

Silence descended on the cramped laboratory.

Because the answer didn’t immediately follow.

Lieutenant Colonel Dietrich slightly turned his head to look at the Lieutenant behind him, and the Lieutenant, receiving the gaze, nodded and stepped forward.

Beside the Lieutenant Colonel, and standing face to face in front of my desk, Lieutenant Zeller opened his mouth.

“The war has already begun, Dr. Oslo.”

“…What’s the name of this war?”

When I met the Lieutenant at the Nocturne Club, there were several candidates.

Things like intelligence war and ideological war…

After a moment, understanding my question, Lieutenant Zeller let out a slight sigh before answering.

“I think it might be an academic war.”

“An academic war.”

“Yes. A long and tedious academic war happening below the surface, without warships, soldiers, or gunfire.”

“You mean to use magic scholars instead of soldiers, and academics instead of firearms. So you’ve come to recruit me instead of expelling me.”

The Lieutenant slightly widened his eyes and nodded.

“Precisely.”

“…”

I narrowed my eyes to express dissatisfaction without opening my mouth.

An academic war? Preposterous.

Of course, it’s not strange that the military thought of weaponization after seeing Werner’s and my experiment. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

After all, the conversion formula meaning that a large amount of mana converts into a tiny amount of matter implies, conversely, that a small amount of matter can be converted into an enormous amount of mana.

But it’s too early.

The experiment is merely to verify if magic-matter conversion is possible in both directions, not to prove matter-to-magic conversion. While we’ve roughly established methods to obtain matter from magic power, we don’t even have a clue about the opposite…

I swallowed all objections internally.

A massive organization like the military must be aware of this fact.

Rather than wasting energy on saying meaningless things, it’s better to sharpen my gaze even more. So I did.

Soon after, I asked one question.

“Lieutenant Colonel Dietrich.”

“Hm.”

“Do you plan to put Werner Ross Diemann, the experiment’s lead, under house arrest as well?”

“No. As the initial proposer, he will be treated as a key figure. There will be some interference from the military, but we plan to provide more research funding.”

“So I’m not considered a key figure, it seems.”

“‘Troublemaker’ would be more appropriate than ‘key figure’.”

The Lieutenant Colonel took back the pipe from Lieutenant Zeller and started fiddling with it unnecessarily.

Unlike me, it didn’t seem to be because he liked its shape and feel. It’s a habit of an addict.

“Dr. Oslo. You are a person with a higher risk level than any suspected informant, solely due to your background.”

“Because I’m a gray-haired magic scholar who even caused a stir in the academic world.”

“That’s right. Even if you claim innocence, your claim lacks credibility given that the Reactionary Government’s agents are bound to know you. You know too much to be allowed contact with them.”

“So you’re saying I should quietly accept house arrest?”

“That’s the first option you can choose.”

An unexpected answer came out.

Come to think of it, the Lieutenant Colonel had mentioned that I would be given a choice.

This must be the main point he had been putting off.

I asked. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“What’s the alternative?”

“Come to the Leslie National Laboratory.”

An unfamiliar yet familiar place name brushes past.

Soon, I recalled that it was the name of the area where I briefly stayed five years ago.

Even now, after five years, the smell of coal dust is vivid in my nose.

“Leslie, you mean in Oslovya?”

“That’s right.”

“Was there a Research Institute in that coal mining town?”

“It was recently established.”

After this short answer, the Lieutenant Colonel wiggled his finger.

Then, the Lieutenant next to him took over the conversation.

Soon after, I realized that this gesture was to have the Lieutenant give a lengthy explanation in his place.

The Lieutenant cleared his throat and looked at me.

“Simply put, the Leslie National Laboratory is a Magic Research Institute under the Federal Military. You will be treated even better than you were at the Frauzen Federal University of Magic, and after the situation is resolved, you can return to Frauzen with permanent residency. Of course, the military will be responsible for protecting your family during that time.”

“What will I research?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked what I would be researching at the Leslie National Laboratory. I doubt you’ll let me continue my research on the extended version of relativity theory.”

Lieutenant Zeller rolled his eyes once before answering.

“You’ll have to participate in the Federation’s academic war.”

“You’re telling me to assist in the war.”

“The work will still be the advancement of magic studies.”

Nonsense.

Although I clearly muttered it internally, Lieutenant Zeller’s eyebrows twitched.

It seems my expression spoke for me.

Soon after, the Lieutenant seemed to realize that the positions of both sides in this conversation were not equal, and that maintaining the attitude of a kind explainer would yield no benefit when he was clearly in the superior position.

His gaze became more oppressive.

“Dr. Oslo.”

“Yes.” [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“The Military is not a unified organization. And other units besides us won’t adopt the complicated method of persuading you and utilizing your abilities to achieve the goal of ‘not handing you over to the enemy country’. They’ll choose a much easier method.”

“Is that a threat?”

“You can think of it that way if you― Ugh.”

A groan-mixed cough burst from Lieutenant Zeller’s mouth.

From my perspective, there was no visible cause and effect. Nothing had changed, and suddenly the Lieutenant had just bent over, letting out a groan.

I turned my gaze to the only suspect.

“Lieutenant Colonel. Were you a magic scholar?”

“I stepped on his foot. It’s also a superior’s duty to apologize for a subordinate’s rudeness.”

“…”

“Dr. Oslo. Won’t you go to the National Laboratory?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Leaving for a foreign land to participate in war seems far less attractive than house arrest.”

“As I said, all kinds of research activities will be prohibited during house arrest. Your home will soon transform into a wooden prison. Are you okay with that?”

“Even if I endure all the hardships of confinement, isn’t it better than being separated?”

“It’s about Benjamin Oslo, isn’t it. I understand.”

I smiled bitterly.

Setting aside my curiosity about how much they had investigated, the Lieutenant Colonel’s words were correct.

I care about those who accepted me. I’m the one who even put off the lecturer offer to stay by their side.

House arrest at least allows me to remain in Frauzen.

I can be with my family, visit the hospital room, and although less frequently, meeting with Julia would still be possible.

Of course, I’ll face many challenges.

I might have to risk exposing my background.

I turned my gaze towards a small box placed on one corner of the laboratory bookshelf.

Thanks to daily cleaning, there wasn’t a speck of dust on the box.

Would Julia accept an engagement request from an Imperial scholar under house arrest?

It’s unknown, and while I hope so, if we’re separated, I can’t even make the request. It’s nonsensical. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Suddenly, I became curious if the eight personnel said to be monitoring me would also perform duties other than surveillance, such as protection.

Being pointed at is enough for me alone. If the house of geniuses becomes known as the house of an Imperial, and stones start flying at the duplex house, it would be quite distressing.

When I looked back at the Lieutenant Colonel to ask a question…

“There’s a medicine.”

“Pardon?”

I didn’t understand the context.

Lieutenant Colonel Dietrich, seemingly anticipating this, spoke again after our gazes met.

“There’s a new medicine. It’s a drug especially effective against bacterial diseases, with proven unprecedented efficacy. Although it’s still months to years away from commercialization, there’s a quantity being pre-distributed limited to military units.”

“This sounds like quite confidential information. What are you trying to say?”

“If you head to the Leslie National Laboratory, we’ll provide that medicine to Benjamin Oslo. Continuously until full recovery.”

“What did you say?”

I felt the world shake.

A feeling of repeatedly falling and rising frantically.

But I’m sitting in a chair.

I’m not falling or rising.

I stood up straight.

The Lieutenant Colonel continued.

“There’s no need to doubt its efficacy. It’s certain to earn a Russell Award or so. However, if you receive the medicine, you must promise to work at the National Laboratory for five years. It’s a medicine worth that much.”

“Five years of service.”

“That’s right. Now, the explanation is over. I hope you’ll make your choice.”

I clenched my fists tightly. Then, a spark ignited in my hands.

It’s warmth.

One second feels like ten seconds, ten seconds like ten minutes. Perhaps ten minutes pass like one second and…

“I.”

Click.

I opened the front door.

“I’m home.”

“You’re back, Big Brother?”

“Yeah.”

I lifted the corners of my mouth towards Ellie, who was running towards me. Ellie also smiled brightly in response.

“The eggs tasted bad. Half were burnt and half were undercooked!”

“I guess I need to practice cooking.”

While gently patting Ellie’s head, I looked into the distance.

I was given a week as a period to sort out my personal affairs.