Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

Special moments are engraved in one’s memory with a hammer and chisel.

In other words, the past few weeks that have passed hazily weren’t particularly special to me.

That is…

It’s my daily life.

Suddenly feeling a chill on my skin, I looked out the window and realized that the scenery outside the research lab had changed quite a bit.

The leaves that had been falling like rain have long since all fallen, becoming faded brown mounds. Although the cold will soon arrive, the trees are showing their empty branches under the blue sky.

I didn’t feel any particular pity looking at those bare, skeletal forms anew.

I know that the trees entering their winter preparations will endure the cold more strongly than anything else. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

That’s why I once again looked at the cup filled with freshly brewed coffee.

The scene of autumn on the brink of winter and the old research lab…

All of it was ordinary.

That is, compared to things like an unexpected five-year separation or an artificial star rising in the sky.

However, as I took a small sip of coffee, I thought about it.

Have I fully returned to my daily life?

“……”

Before I could answer, my breath came out first.

I saw my breath indoors. For me, who remembers the unbearable heat of last summer, it was quite strange.

Is it because winter is approaching rapidly, or because of the warmth of the coffee? Or is it because the winterization of the research lab is terrible?

I let out a shallow sigh while pondering the reasons.

It’s probably all of those.

Now, a little over a month since I returned to Frauzen, I still haven’t met Werner Ross Diemann.

#December 1st. Clear.

When you’re stuck in a cubbyhole called a research lab, you tend to develop a habit or two.

In the past, I used to fiddle with a pipe, but now I don’t have particularly good memories of it.

I twirled an innocent pencil while thinking of my friend.

Werner.

He’s become quite famous.

That means he’s no longer just the eccentric doctoral student I knew.

Verification of the irreversibility of mana-matter conversion. That experiment, which started modestly, has now reached its final stages and attracted the attention of many scholars. Accordingly, Werner seems to have significantly shed his reputation as an eccentric.

Even I, whose relationships in the research institute have fallen apart, heard rumors about Werner occasionally.

That’s a happy thing, and something to congratulate.

The problem is…

“…We should have met at least once by now.”

Although it’s said to be nearing completion, the experiment is still ongoing.

So, we should have run into each other on campus at least once, but the problem was that there had been no news for a month.

Although I know it’s the mindset of an old-fashioned scholar to try to find rational reasons for interpersonal matters, I pondered.

Soon, I could come up with two possibilities.

“Didn’t they say he would receive VIP treatment?”

As Lieutenant Colonel Deitrich said, the current situation might be the result of the Federation completely blocking contact with me out of concern for his safety.

That was my first theory and essentially the best explanation for the current situation.

There are many suspicious points.

I gave up after a week of avoiding the Experimental Building, not knowing what face to make in front of Werner.

Now, it’s routine to be stopped by the supervisors even when I try to go to the experimental building deliberately to run into him.

So, I even tried asking directly. I said that as someone who contributed to the start of this experiment, I wanted to help with it.

Of course, since I was not allowed to participate in group research, I was immediately rejected at the supervisor level.

It’s a structural problem.

If I just spend time quietly, naturally, opportunities to meet will arise.

It should be a problem that can be resolved that way.

But. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

What if, by any chance, Werner is intentionally avoiding me?

I remember the story about Werner’s parents.

I remember his words.

“Hoo.”

I prevented my thoughts from deepening with a sip of coffee.

As I said earlier, the second possibility is just needless worry.

After all, that guy is unnecessarily perceptive, so he might have guessed my origins early on.

Clack―

After deliberately putting down the empty cup with a sound, I focused on the pile of papers on the desk.

My new paper.

A draft that’s nearly 70% complete.

Although I could say it’s progressing relatively smoothly, I’m far from having leisure. Because there’s barely a month left.

Perhaps this is the culprit that caused my contemplation.

If I want to stay in Frauzen, I need to complete it quickly.

Reminding myself again, I moved my pencil while unnecessarily fiddling with a small box with my other hand. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

A box that’s been carefully placed in the research lab for months.

Given the nature of what’s inside, it can’t be kept in the box forever.

The place it should rightfully go…

It should be heading towards Julia’s finger.

No more delays. Once the draft of the paper receives approval from the Federation, and we safely pass the end of the year…

Only then.

Knock, knock―

“Who is it?”

It was an unexpected knock, but I had some idea of who might be behind the door.

Sure enough.

“It’s me.”

Dorothy appeared through the slightly opened door.

Not as the second daughter of the Oslo family, but dressed as the supervisor of the magic scholar Eugene Oslo.

This time too, she must have received complaints from the higher-ups urging when the paper would be out.

I scratched my head and opened my mouth.

“Eugene.”

“Another rush, I see. Hmm. The outline is starting to show, so it should be completed within two weeks. Probably.”

“No. It’s something else.”

Dorothy shook her head.

‘What else could it be?’ I asked with my eyes.

After hearing Dorothy’s answer, I put down the pencil I was holding.

“A message came from doctoral student Werner Ross Diemann and the Federal Military. They say you can participate in the final experiment the day after tomorrow, even if it’s just as an observer.”

#December 3rd. Clear.

“…Did something happen?”

“Nothing special.”

A rather unconvincing answer comes back.

It’s an unusually cold morning.

Unable to overcome the sudden cold, Lena was still wrapped in a blanket even after finishing her meal, but judging by her eyes alone, they were blazing hot.

Lena’s eyes narrowed further. Of course, while looking at her foolish brother.

“It’s better not to hide. If you carelessly lie—”

Lena turned her head to the side of the sofa.

Usually, that’s where the twins who just woke up from oversleeping would be sitting.

However, now a woman exuding a rose scent was sitting there demurely.

For some reason, those gently curved amber eyes seem eerie.

The foolish brother frozen over there must have also read the emotion in those eyes.

“No. I’ll believe that nothing special happened.”

After saying that, Lena turned her head to seek agreement.

Of course, from the woman sitting next to her.

Julia Müller smiled slightly and replied calmly.

“Don’t doubt him, Lena. The sincere Eugene always tells the truth and doesn’t worry others. He would never do bad things like leaving his lover without a word, right?”

“……”

“This time too, it’s surely nothing special. Yes. It’s certainly not that he found another woman. Right?”

“It’s not.”

Julia quietly looked up at Eugene, who was trying hard to suppress his panicked expression.

Since he seems surprised by the early morning visit, shouldn’t we tease him thoroughly while we can?

With that feeling, Julia put on an appropriately pitiful expression and said:

“It’s not?”

“Right.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Remember Werner Ross Diemann? I’m supposed to observe his experiment today.”

“Ah. So that’s why you had such a dazed expression, Eugene.”

“……” [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

The silence that had continued for a while was broken when Julia let out a small, meaningless laugh.

Julia wiped away the droplets that had formed at the corners of her eyes.

“Uh, hehe. I’m sorry. I’ll stop teasing you. We’re both busy, after all.”

“Please. Didn’t you say you had some work to do with Lena?”

“Yes~”

Julia nodded.

It’s not a lie.

Actually, the reason for her visit to the Oslo family was to discuss foundation-related matters with Lena.

Of course, if asked whether knocking on the Oslo family’s door early in the morning, staring at Eugene’s sleeping face, and having breakfast together were also part of the work, she would have no answer, but…

She had no intention of revealing that fact explicitly.

Instead, she looked at the metal badge attached to his chest.

There’s probably only one reason he would hesitate so much just to meet a friend.

If he was feeling depressed, she wanted to give him energy.

Julia pretended to be calm and waved her hand.

“Take care. If the experiment goes well, it would be nice to have a small party with everyone.”

“Sure.”

“Oh, right. Eugene. In your letter, didn’t you say you had something to tell me? You can tell me now—”

“I’ll be going.”

“Haha. I’ll be waiting.”

Julia chuckled as she saw off Eugene, who was hurriedly moving away.

Something to tell. Something to tell, huh…

It’s not that she can’t guess what it might be, but right now she wanted to engrave Eugene’s flustered appearance more in her eyes.

Effort is needed for that.

Julia, who stood up from the sofa feeling the surging affection, said quite seriously:

“Shall we start, Lena?”

Lena responded by nodding her head. The fact that her expression was somehow crumpled was something Julia found difficult to understand.

Only after taking a bite of the refreshments prepared by Susan could Julia unfurrow her brow.

The reason was simple.

Even if one graduates smoothly from the University of Magic, it doesn’t mean they can skillfully handle accounting ledgers full of numbers.

“Establishing a foundation isn’t just about capital……”

To this self-muttered sigh, Lena replied seriously.

“Yes. We need to be able to manage assets independently, and also be appropriately connected with educational institutions and the industrial sector. Moreover, we need power.”

Power.

Although Julia was ignorant of accounting and management, she could immediately understand that word.

She was used to grasping power struggles, after all.

The Magic Studies Support Foundation that Lena Oslo initially conceived. That goal, which was simply an extension of ‘helping the Oslo family’, now took on a quite explicit purpose.

Magic scholar Eugene Oslo.

The Federation promised his safety but not his convenience.

Soon, the academic world, including the University of Magic, will cut off all his research funding. For the simple and clear reason that Eugene Oslo is from the Empire.

The foundation needed to be established to support him, if for no other reason.

And it goes without saying that Julia Müller, the primary source of funds for the foundation, needed to busily learn about foundation management.

It’s hard.

But Julia smiled faintly as she neatly arranged the documents.

“Still. Yes. I’ll do my best if I can help you all.”

“Eh?”

“Eugene, Mr. Benjamin, Lena, Professor Ehrlich, too. If I can repay the kindness from them I’ve received in this way, I can do my best as much as needed.”

She made her smile even deeper as she looked at Lena’s bewildered expression.

Many things were going smoothly.

From what she heard, Benjamin Oslo’s recovery was progressing much faster than predicted. He might be able to be discharged as early as the beginning of next year.

Then.

In a winter when all sadness has disappeared, the two of them can smile again with happiness while meeting in the snow, while waiting for the spring that will come soon.

“Ah.”

Sting.

At the small but sharp sensation, Julia dropped the document she was holding. The stack of papers fell limply onto the desk. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“Wh-what happened?”

“It’s nothing……”

Julia reassured the panicked Lena with a slight smile and blankly stared at her own finger.

At its tip, a small drop of blood had formed.

In front of the Experimental Building of the Frauvian Federal University of Magic Research Institute.

I saw the face of the man standing there.

“Long time no see, theorist.”

As always, he had an incredibly brazen face.