Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

The Auchlimé Research Institute of the Frauvian Federal University of Magic tends to spend more research funds on experimental magic scholars than theoretical magic scholars.

And while researchers might not like this, they don’t raise their voices, calling it unfair treatment.

The reason was simple.

Unlike theoretical magic scholars who can produce new research results with just sufficient paper and ink, tobacco and coffee, and mental strength, experimental magic scholars need various experimental equipment.

It’s a fact that even the cheapest experimental equipment is more expensive than paper and ink, which is obvious without having to check the research expenditure ledger.

Just as theoretical magic scholars don’t harbor resentment towards this justified inequality, experimental magic scholars don’t feel pure joy either.

They don’t have the theorist’s tool that can magically correct research – the eraser.

Experimental plans must be done so carefully, and the purchase of experimental equipment and ordering of materials must be done even more carefully. 

It’s not because of the scholar’s meticulous nature, but because if they’re not careful, they won’t get research funding approval in the first place. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

The fact that you often encounter young people exhaling smoke-filled sighs while wandering around the experimental wing is probably an expression of this sorrow.

However.

“Come on in. We were just short of hands.”

Looking at Werner’s grinning face, I thought.

Perhaps the reason why there are still so many young people dreaming of becoming experimental magic scholars is that no matter how old people get, they can never completely shed their childhood selves playing with toys.

I smiled back and asked:

“When was the last time you washed?”

“Yesterday.”

“I’d believe you if you said a week ago.”

Joking like that, I stepped into the laboratory.

It didn’t even take three seconds for the smile to disappear from my face and for the sympathy I had felt for experimental magic scholars until just now to vanish.

The scene before my eyes was terrible.

The grotesque circular pile of scrap metal located in the center of the laboratory was emitting an eerie atmosphere, and around it, two people were sprawled out taking naps along with soot-covered outer garments.

In a daze, I muttered.

“What is all this?”

“What do you mean? It’s experimental equipment.”

I only half agreed with Werner’s confident answer.

Was this habit of his a trait of the magic scholar who would lead the most dangerous experiments?

Certainly, the pile of scrap metal and colorful lines in front of me looked quite dangerous, but it didn’t look like experimental equipment, no matter how you looked at it.

The reason I had such thoughts was relatively clear.

Looking at the parts and tools rolling around everywhere, I asked again.

“Did you stop in the middle of making it?”

“I’m making it. Well, similar meaning, but…”

Werner laughed lightly, then handed me a heavy and cold wrench with a shameless smile.

“Here.”

“…Why this?”

“You need to help. I’ll explain the experiment in detail while we work.”

Unconsciously turning around, I realized that the laboratory door was tightly closed.

“Ah.”

The escape route was blocked.

“When there’s a topic whose principle or theory hasn’t been revealed yet, people usually blame the researcher. They say things like they couldn’t come up with a genius idea, or they didn’t put enough effort into the research.”

“That’s right.”

“But this is because they didn’t consider that the nature of universal ignorance and a scholar’s ignorance is different. The latter has a reason.”

“Oh?”

“Unlike hundreds or thousands of years ago, humanity now knows a lot about this world. We’re no longer primitive humans, deeply pondering why fire is hot. If we don’t know the cause of some phenomenon, shouldn’t we wonder ‘why don’t we know’ rather than ‘how stupid is the researcher’?”

“That’s quite interesting.” [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“I think the irreversibility of magic-matter conversion is similar to this. A large amount of magic can be converted into a tiny amount of matter, but we haven’t heard of a tiny amount of matter being converted into a large amount of magic. So, in my childhood, I wondered. Why was it impossible?” *1

“…Hoo, and so?”

“There might be a few possibilities. Either we haven’t found a simple way to convert matter into magic yet, or it’s impossible from the start, or there’s a method, but it’s so difficult that it hasn’t been attempted until now.”

“…”

“The esteemed professors couldn’t have not found a simple method yet. The idea that it was impossible from the start isn’t very attractive. It’s not interesting, you know. So, I bet on the last possibility. That magic-matter conversion is not irreversible, just very tricky.”

“Damn it, stop talking and help too, Werner.”

I put down the wrench.

My whole body was aching. My back was sore, and my hands were ringing from continuously assembling parts.

Assembling experimental equipment was that much of a hard labor.

The experimental instruments I had seen so far were mostly small or light.

The equipment in front of me was not.

A metal cylinder was placed on a base that was over a foot (T/N: ~300 cm) in both length and width.

Its weight alone seemed comparable to my body weight.

If it was just a matter of strength needed for assembly, I wouldn’t have been this tired. After all, I had endured coal mining work more than three years ago.

The problem was precision.

Various precision parts had to be assembled around the cylinder, so I had to double-check the blueprint and its principles several times.

And Werner, who should be telling me how to assemble it?

He was resting, sprawled out next to the two people taking naps.

I glared at Werner and said:

“How can an experimental magic scholar conk out before me?”

“Hehe, it’s because I never learned how to boost my physical strength at the University of Magic.”

“Me neither.”

“Just rest a bit for now. This isn’t work that will end in a day anyway.”

“Alright…”

I did as he said.

It’s January, the dead of winter. The inside of the laboratory was chilly enough to make one shiver, but that chilliness was exactly what I needed right now.

After taking off my soot-covered clothes and folding them neatly, I pulled up a chair and sat down near Werner.

I thought quietly while catching my breath.

I thought about Werner’s research and about the irreversibility of magic-matter conversion.

Only after about five minutes could I dismiss the ramblings Werner had muttered while working and summarize the experiment’s outline.

I slowly opened my mouth, looking at Werner, who had started tinkering with the wrench instead of me.

“Werner.”

“Hmm.”

“Let me summarize. There’s probably some tendency in the magic studies system, and it easily allows the conversion of magic into matter but doesn’t readily allow the opposite. And this thing in front of us—”

“—It would be great if it were a device to convert matter into magic, but it’s not.”

“It’s a device to check if that assumption is correct, right?”

“Exactly. If we apply a magic field to this device, we can accelerate microscopic particles. We can do various experiments with that.” *1

Werner answered with a grin.

I thought as I lowered my gaze.

It’s somewhat of a rough explanation, and it seems to be proceeding recklessly, but he must have read more than just one or two papers to conceptualize this experimental equipment.

Thinking about it from that background…

It was quite interesting content.

I thought the same thing last time, but if Werner’s inference is correct and he proves it perfectly, couldn’t he aim for something like the Russell Magic Award?

I prayed that he could.

Only inwardly.

My gaze, which had done physical labor for a full three hours to hear this explanation, was still sharp. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

I maintained that sharpness and said:

“If you had just hinted at that, I would have pondered it and then handed over theoretical results. Why make someone who came to help with theory do this kind of labor?”

“I believe in your potential, Eugene.”

“Where did ‘theorist’ go?”

“I said I needed your help from the start, not that I needed your theory. You’re too good of a labor force to leave focused on theorizing.”

“Can I go now?”

“And.”

Werner, who suddenly stopped his arm, raised one corner of his mouth while looking at me.

“Think about it. Don’t you owe me one?”

“…This guy.”

He knew everything.

I tried to act calm and asked back.

“How?”

“Your face changed color. What do you mean, “How?” Come on, get up.”

#January 11th. Slightly cloudy.

Six days before Klaus Müller’s return.

The two people sprawled out like discarded clothing that I saw yesterday were apparently Werner’s lab mates.

The reason I’m describing this in the past tense is because the two people, thinking they had fulfilled their duty, had run away.

Naturally, my plans to return home were canceled.

That night, I naturally spread a blanket on the laboratory floor, lay down, and said:

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“…Theorist. You’re probably the only one who can lie down on a laboratory floor in the dead of winter with a peaceful face.”

#January 12th. Cloudy.

Five days before Klaus Müller’s return.

“Aren’t you getting up?”

“…Theorist. You’re probably the only one who can wake up from sleeping on a laboratory floor in the dead of winter with a refreshed face.”

#January 14th. Cloudy

Three days before Klaus Müller’s return.

Suddenly curious, I asked Werner a question.

“How did you get research funding? No matter how prestigious the Frauvian Federal University of Magic’s Auchlimé Research Institute is within the Federation, they wouldn’t pour this much support into a mere doctoral student’s research.”

“You’re right. I didn’t get much research funding. I barely got about 30% of the total research budget.”

“Who supported the remaining 70%?”

“The Federation.”

It was difficult to fully understand that answer, but I decided to think of it as a moderately good thing.

It means that even at the national level, there’s interest in Werner’s research.

At least there won’t be a case where the experiment stops because the research funds run out. It’s a good thing.

And.

#January 16th. Snow.

As the work was finished, a holiday arrived.

To my question about when the full-scale experiment would be conducted, Werner’s answer was this:

Whether that answer was a joke or a serious remark, I was glad that I wouldn’t lose my precious weekend to the experiment. I was reluctant to spend more time on it just as personal research ideas were starting to come up…

Anyway.

It’s snowing.

There’s not enough snowfall to need an umbrella.

It’s weather that makes me feel quite good just standing absentmindedly in Lapien Square, wearing a worn-out scarf and a coat.

A moment later, I was surprised that my mood could get even better.

Tap, tap.

The sensation of someone tapping my shoulder with their finger.

I had been sensing the presence through the characteristic footsteps even before feeling that touch.

Without hesitation, I turned around and lowered my head slightly.

I saw a familiar hair color.

A woman leaning on a cane. She’s dressed more thickly than me as she’s sensitive to cold. Perhaps because she’s wearing a hat after a long time, it briefly reminded me of her undergraduate days. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Back then, our distance rarely narrowed to within two spans, didn’t it?

Not anymore.

With just a span’s distance between us, Julia Müller looked up at me and smiled warmly.

“Did you wait long?”

I answered while gently brushing off the snow that had settled on her hair.

“No. I just got here.”

Then, the smile on her crimson lips deepened a bit more.

Now, there’s no need for pretexts to meet each other.

As if to prove this, Julia tilted her head slightly and parted her lips.

“I missed you…”

T/N

In particle physics, an example of large amounts of energy being converted into small amounts of matter is the Large Hardon Collider at CERN. The goal of Werner’s experiment is to achieve the reverse of this, but the direct conversion of tiny amounts of energy (via accelerating microscopic particles) into large amounts of mass isn’t observed in practice. Of course, if that were true in reality, it would go against reason and common sense.

Hello! Axiomatic here.

What an incredible set of five! Eugene finally confesses to Julia, Professor Müller approves their relationship, and now, we’re witnessing the creation of a particle accelerator.

I’m looking forward to the next set, and I hope you are as well! Thanks for reading!