The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 141: The Physical Exam (1)

A murky, ashy world.

The dream that came every night was more than distressing; it was actually boring.

Whether it was a nightmare foreshadowing an ominous future or just some shit my brain conjured, I didn’t know. I’d assume it was the latter.

My mind was hazy from the sensation like I was floating on the Dead Sea. There was nothing that I could do in the dream, only observe like an audience who came to the theater to watch a movie.

If I focused on my hearing, I could hear continuous screaming and shouting.

Trees burned and metal melted.

The sky was black and the earth was red.

It was another day in which I saw the future where the world came to an end.

I woke up in sweltering heat as if I was heavily drunk, my pajamas damp like all the other times. Silently grumbling, I made my bed.

“How about you go on ahead, Lotte?”

“Don’t be late!”

I sent off Lotte first and took a shower. It was only after shocking myself with cold water that I was no longer feeling unpleasant.

I put on my uniform and robe. The tennis skirt that I couldn’t adjust to in the beginning wasn’t so bad anymore as long as I told myself that I was Scottish. This was why the mindset was important.

What could I do? It’d been four years of living in this body. It was about time that the true owner showed up and took charge.

But now wasn’t the time. I might not be able to pay rent but it had to be after I was certain that I could return to Earth.

I drank the cup of water I had near the bed and belatedly set out from the dorms. As I walked, I eventually saw a familiar face by the fountain.

It was a middle-aged gentleman with red eyes dressed elaborately in a suit, giving off the impression of a modern French noble. There was something both pristine and frightening about his monocle-covered right eye. The man approached me as he brushed a hand over his swept-back hair.

“Good morning, Aether.”

“How have you been, sir?”

The chairman of Tilette Academy, Robespierre.

The authority of the greatest Academy in the Empire and the leader of the parliamentary faction, as well as one of my sponsors.

“How have I been? It hasn’t even been a few days since we saw each other. Anyway, are you on your way to school?”

“Yes. Are you heading to work as well?”

The chairman smiled sheepishly.

“I already have. I actually came here to tell you something.”

“Personally?”

“If it isn’t now, I’m afraid I won’t have the time.”

Still, it was a wonder that the chairman personally took the steps to meet with a mere student. Or it was proof that it was that urgent.

The chairman and I had an agreement of sorts. He was supporting me materially so that I had a comfortable school life and in return, I was making him a drumstick-sized Flare.

Given the contract, that should be why the chairman came to see me. And I wasn’t wrong.

“I’ve sent supplies such as iron, tungsten, and nickel to the transmutation club first.”

“Already? When?”

“They were brought in this morning. I’d like you to take a look and see if it’ll be helpful for your research.”

“... Yes, sir.”

I had expected it to take longer but he worked quite quickly.

This was going to make getting ready for the festival a lot easier, too.

“So the miniaturization research should be plenty possible with this kind of support, then?”

“Yes, it definitely will be. Thank you.”

“And, hm.... I’m rather concerned about the measures taken a few days ago.”

The measures–ah, right. He meant the restriction of Flare that Rosemary had implemented.

“You don’t need to worry. I’ll be able to make it accordingly to fit your intentions.”

“Hearing you say that makes me sigh of relief.”

The chairman sighed in relief just as he said. Ugh, the smell of cigars.

“Then I will get back to work. If there are any problems, come to me right away. Understand?”

“Understood. Please take care!”

I saw the chairman off with a smile as bright as the sun in the fields.

With this, I could quickly finish one research and focus on the Teller-Ulam design. Plans were beginning to fall into place in my head. Grinning, I checked the progress in the hardcover.

[You are currently on stage two of four in the progress of the ‘Teller-Ulam design’.]Stage one was to collect the materials acting as the nuclear fusion’s detonator like uranium and plutonium.

Stage two was making the bomb itself.

Then stages three and four were building the triggering mechanism and means of dropping it. Minus the fourth stage, I could complete stages two and three at once right now–stage two with Freyr’s help, and stage three by deciphering White Night.

Of course, stage three wasn’t going to be that easy since it’ll require a reinterpretation of the nuclear fusion mechanism wrapped neatly in the name of magic.

[Wait, what is this?]

The hardcover asked while I was on my way to class with a pleasant smile, its tone serious.

[When did you start getting sponsored by the chairman?]

“Not sure, I forgot.”

[I thought you seemed rather relaxed about money while attending school. So what was that conversation just now? You didn’t make some strange agreement behind my back, did you?]

“No, nothing like that.”

It was the perfect give-and-take. I didn’t know about the chairman but I was content with it.

But the hardcover still seemed skeptical. I played it up a bit more and briefly explained what had been going on with the chairman.

I didn’t reveal everything, only that the chairman had requested me to research if I could make a miniature scroll. But even this was enough to have the hardcover click its tongue and object.

[Miniaturization of Flare? You know that nanostructure is important for that, meaning it’s pointless if you don’t have microscopes or ultra-fine etching tools. But iron and nickel...? Why did you ask for those?]

I just grinned in response to the book’s question.

[Wait, you don’t mean–]

That’s right.

[Y-y-you’re embezzling research funds...?]

Ahem, what do you mean embezzled? That’s a strong word.

It was only ‘supplementing’, a ‘plus something’ for both me and the chairman.

[What bullshit is that! This is unmistakably embezzlement! If he only asked you to make a small scroll, then that’s all you should do and get paid for it. Why would you take those and use it for making a nuclear bomb! Aghhh! I can’t!]

“You’re being noisy. Can you shut up, please.”

[You’ve changed, Master. Is it because you looked into that mirror? No, it can’t be. The way you act seems like your usual self, too.... Anyway, the only thing you’re thinking about is the hydrogen bomb! Am I wrong?]

This was why I hadn’t been listening to the book lately. Before it upgraded to ‘Intermediate’, it had felt like a computer that just did its work, but now it was like some dumbass AI with spaghetti for codes.

[Wow, did you just seriously say that? The Goddess stayed up three nights and days creating me...!]

Whistling, I returned to the classroom. It was the same class as usual.

Lotte was sitting at the front studying, and Freyr was asleep on her desk again. The class president Mayreel was helping the one on clean-up duty, sweeping the back of the room. It was the usual scene that I’d been seeing for months.

The Prince was being ripped into for flirting with a random classmate. Upon closer look, Rosemary was standing next to him, and his expression wasn’t so great.

I wasn’t fond of the whole ‘he was actually a pitiful guy, after all’ storyline, but it couldn’t be helped. It was best that we didn’t get involved with each other if possible.

As always, I pulled out the chair and sat next to Lotte. Rosemary took her seat behind me, of course. It would’ve been nice if we had designated seats like in high school. No, would that have been based too much on luck?

Tap tap.

“What.”

“Sis, I ordered what you asked for yesterday.”

“Which is?”

“Did you forget already? There’s 20 kg of sweet sugar on the way.”

Rosemary was grinning, and it was almost too much to bear.

“Alright.”

Anyway, with this the neutron moderator was easily secured.

[Wow, that’s a bit much.]

I deliberately turned my head and faced forward. Just then, Miss Heerlein came in through the front door on the right.

“What is it?”

“She doesn’t look so good.”

Today, the usually cheerful-looking Miss Heerlein showed up with a downcast expression. The students all quirked their heads in sync, and so did I.

According to Vermel, Heerlein was a key figure who needed to stay alive until the end. If there was the slightest sign of something unusual, then it needed to be addressed immediately, so I was told. And since Vermel wasn’t here now, I had to be the one to ask.

“Miss, is there something wrong?”

“Hm...? Mm, it’s nothing.”

Heerlein dragged a hand down her face, then her expression went back to normal as if nothing happened.

First Freyr, then Lotte, now Miss Heerlein, was it?

But, Vermel stopped her from going to the northern front. Then according to him, didn’t we just safely bypass an event?

I wasn’t sure because I never played the game. This was... I was going to have to talk to Vermel somehow.

It was okay that Vermel was running away to avoid Rosemary’s eyes. This wasn’t a problem.

But I still had to know where he was to do something. This was why I couldn’t view Rosemary in a good light.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freёnovelkiss.com.

Although she was treating me well, it didn’t change the fact that she was going to be an obstacle in ways like this in the long run. I had to organize my thoughts and deal with it somehow. Then as I was wetting my lips and pondering–

“I have an announcement, everyone.”

As Miss Heerlein spoke, my gaze naturally shifted to the lectern.

“This week, all students will be getting a physical.”

What, so it wasn’t anything big. This shouldn’t be a problem....

“It won’t take that long. You’ll just be getting your blood drawn and blood pressure taken.”

...Wait a sec.

“Huh...?”

“Huh...?”