The floors of the Magic Tower are power itself. The Dean occupies the 49th floor all to herself. Below that, the professors' offices line the floors down to the 40th.
It's by order of influence, of course. Below that, the research labs of each school are lined up down to the 10th floor. This, too, is naturally by order of influence.
The floor our school was assigned to is the 10th floor. The schools located here are the small fries who barely avoided being sent to the annex. I asked Giuseppe.
"Senior, didn't we pull off something pretty big?"
Just the Wave Theory we revealed in our school's name should be a great discovery. Isn't the 10th floor a bit harsh? I, 'Isaac Mk2', cannot be satisfied with the 10th floor.
Giuseppe smiled warmly as he dusted off the new research lab.
"That's right."
"Then why are we on the 10th floor?"
"Look around."
"Pardon?"
At Giuseppe's words, I looked around the new lab. The ceiling height was double what it was before. Now, I can't touch the ceiling even if I jump.
The wallpaper finish was unmatched for medieval standards. The only place better than the Magic Tower's main building would be the Imperial Court. We probably won't hear the sound of rats from the floor or ceiling anymore, either.
'But what does this have to do with being on the 10th floor?'
Giuseppe said.
"Isn't the number of people small for the size of this lab?"
"That's true."
Come to think of it, the floor space had also gotten bigger. The lab in the annex was, at best, the size of a two-room apartment. But now, it's a little bigger than a university lecture hall.
It's spacious enough to house twenty people with room to spare. Rather, with just me and Giuseppe in such a large space, it felt empty.
Ah.
Could it be?
"Don't tell me it's because of the school's arithmetic scale?"
"That's right. The schools in the main building are on a different economic scale altogether."
"Ah..."
Come to think of it, the only time we made money ourselves was from the Bell Tower incident. The Wave Theory that came from it hasn't had its theory usage fee deposited yet.
"Junior, how high is your goal?"
I looked down at the view of the capital outside the window and said.
"The view will change if we go higher, won't it?"
"It will."
"Then I don't want to go above the 40th floor."
If I go higher, the people outside the window will look smaller than insects. I don't like that. Giuseppe let out a dry laugh.
"The 39th floor... That's the highest floor among the school research labs. Does that mean you want to make our school the best?"
"Is that how it works?"
"It will be. Since we have you. So, brace yourself. The real fight starts now."
I nodded at Giuseppe's words. The 10th floor is like the last line of defense, swarming with minor schools trying not to get kicked out to the annex. The faces of the people coming and going in the hallway were filled with a grim determination for survival.
From now on, a survival game to push each other out to the annex will begin. I steeled my resolve.
...
Didn't he say it was a survival game? The moment the lab door opened, an offensive of bribes began. The first one was a researcher from the School of Northern Primitive Magic Studies.
"Greetings, Senior Guarneri! This is a gift to commemorate your move to the 10th floor. It's an herb I obtained during a business trip; it should help with your all-night research."
The second was a researcher from the School of Ancient Rune Studies. He brought a high-quality tea set.
"Respected Senior Guarneri. If you don't mind, could we perhaps talk about Calculus?"
They all consistently flattered Giuseppe. Giuseppe's expression grew increasingly stiff. He was the type of person who detested this kind of flattery.
"Um... er... I really can't accept gifts like this."
"No, no. We are not giving this in hopes of getting something in return."
That's a lie. That person's eyes look sinister. In the end, they all exclaimed, "We don't need anything in return!" but still insisted on leaving their gifts in the lab.
After one wave of the offensive passed, only Giuseppe and I were left in the lab. Giuseppe sat with his head on his desk, completely drained of energy. I said to Giuseppe.
"When you told me to brace myself, was this what you meant?"
"Of course not. This... was completely outside my expectations."
"Me too."
Hehehe, Giuseppe let out a hollow laugh and opened his mouth.
"Can you guess why they're so desperate to give us bribes?"
"It's obviously because of Calculus."
The Magic Tower of today has entered the great age of Calculus. It's the same as in my past life. When big data was trending, everyone was into big data.
When AI was trending, everyone was into AI. That's just how research labs are. The ones doing long-term research that doesn't make money will be shoved into a corner of the annex, so it can't be helped.
"Then, I'll go and submit the report on the completion of our lab's relocation. Please watch over the 'Excel'... no, the lab."
"Yes. Take care."
Giuseppe sighed and left. The lab felt somewhat desolate with me left alone.
Just then. Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking, which I had heard more than a dozen times today alone, came again. Another bribe, I guess? I opened the door nonchalantly, and there stood Liam.
"I came to give a housewarming gift to my fellow 10th-floor comrade."
In Liam's hands were dried chili peppers and paprika powder. My eyes widened. I asked him.
"How did you get these?"
It wasn't like I hadn't looked for chili peppers myself. I definitely searched the marketplace, but there were almost none. Liam smiled and answered.
"Surprisingly, the military bases were growing them, so I bought them cheap."
"The military bases?"
An unexpected distribution channel.
"Yes. I heard they use them for non-lethal suppression of the northern barbarians. They were horrified when I said I was buying them for cooking."
"... Chili peppers for suppression. Anyway, thank you so much, Liam."
"You're welcome."
I expressed my sincere gratitude.
"By the way, Liam, you were on this floor too?"
"Yes. It's just around the corner over there. The School of Mana Catalyst Stabilization."
"Aha."
I never thought Liam would also be working in a 10th-floor lab. 'I knew his school was tough from seeing him always doing assignments... So he was from a school struggling to avoid the annex.'
After handing over the gift, Liam said.
"Well then, I'll be on my way."
I suddenly got curious and stopped him just as he was about to leave.
"Everyone else asks about Calculus, but why don't you ask any questions, Liam?"
"I'd be happy to explain it to you, Liam."
After all, Calculus is now a theory that's out in the world. There was no need to teach it in secret like I did with Gwendolyn. However, Liam waved his hand.
"No. I'll study it on my own."
"You don't have to refuse."
"No. As I read the Principles of Calculus diligently, I'm starting to see the path little by little. I find the feeling of figuring things out one by one to be fun."
"Wow..."
An exclamation of awe escaped me. In my past life, there were sometimes friends like this. Guys who delved deep into research simply because they loved it.
These are the kinds of people who usually get their degrees quickly. Of course... about half of them turn to the dark side and disappear. Graduate school is ultimately a crappy game of luck dependent on your advisor. ...
I hope Liam isn't one of the half that turns to the dark side. I patted his shoulder.
"What does that mean?"
"I'll be cheering for you. Let's both do our best."
"Ah. Yes."
Liam looked awkward and scratched his head. A moment later, after Liam left, I was alone again. In the large lab, there was only me and the pile of gifts.
The reason people are showering our school with gifts is to obtain 'information'. Is there a way to use this favor in the long run without overdoing it, while also making allies?
The next day. I subtly released some information to the researcher who had brought the tea that Giuseppe liked.
"... So. What would happen if we did it this way?"
"The limit and the function value could be different. Ooh. I understand now, thanks to you, Junior Upperhills."
The researcher left with an ecstatic look on his face. Seeing this, Giuseppe expressed his concern.
"Isaac, if you tease them by giving out little bits like that, won't you just make enemies?"
"Please trust me just this once. I'll fleece them without any trouble."
"Hmm..."
After some thought, Giuseppe accepted my proposal. And a few days later, I proved it. The quality and quantity of gifts coming to the lab actually increased, and the researchers' reactions didn't worsen. -"Thank you so much, Junior Isaac!"
"... So that's what was wrong."
You could even say it got better.
Giuseppe asked.
"How on earth did you do it?"
"I guess I got used to teaching Calculus while tutoring Lady Gwendolyn."
"Even so... is it possible to pinpoint the parts so many people are curious about, one by one?"
Of course, it's hard work. But since I'd experienced similar situations many times in high school, it wasn't a big problem.
'Hey.
What's the answer to number 16?' 'You solved number 21, right? Help me out.'
If you handle it wrong when kids ask questions after a mock exam, your relationships can sour. That's because if you say it the wrong way, it feels like you're 'trying to lecture' them. What's important in these situations is to let the other person realize it on their own.
Of course, to predict when the other person will have their realization, the one teaching has to be at a much higher level. Fortunately, I can do that. Because what these people are curious about now is high school-level calculus.
They're not going to ask about the calculus of complex exponential functions, are they? And so, over the past week, I squeezed a large number of gifts out of the 10th-floor researchers. A high-performance mana measuring device.
Century-old northern snow ginseng from the northern snowy peaks. Mana-stone gas burners, and so on. There were too many to list at once.
Eventually, there were so many that I even sold some of them.
"That's all for today. Bring your assignments by next week."
Ugh...
Low moans and screams erupted from all around. Even though the Magic Tower was turned upside down by Calculus, the special lectures continued, and the students suffered. After Valerius's lecture ended, Gwendolyn approached me with a serious face and asked.
"Isaac... please don't misunderstand what I'm about to say."
"What is it?"
"Have you ever learned imperial etiquette?"
"No. I'm an orphan."
Drip, drip.
Gwendolyn broke out in a cold sweat.
"I'm really not trying to attack your cultural knowledge, Isaac... I'm just asking because I think it's about time you learned some etiquette."
"Etiquette? Why?"
Gwendolyn looked at me as if she were looking at a pitiful person. A moment later, she opened her mouth.
"Next week is the medal awarding ceremony. What do you think will happen if you make a mistake in front of the princess?"
"Ah. Don't tell me... drawn and quartered?"
"What? It wouldn't go that far. It would probably just be light imprisonment, don't you think?"
"Aha..."
Even if it's not being drawn and quartered, going to jail is a pretty big deal. I guess I'll have to learn it... 'But where am I supposed to learn etiquette?'
I have no idea. Just then, Gwendolyn said to me.
"Come to our villa this weekend."
"Why there, all of a sudden?"
"I'll invite an etiquette teacher, so you can learn it and then leave."
"Hmm... does it have to be there?"
"We could do it somewhere else. How about the Magic Tower? It would be perfect to practice bowing in front of everyone watching."
"... I'll go to the villa."
"Good choice."
And so, my second trip to the villa was decided. I hope no strange people like Elara show up this time.
At the same time, at the Everglow family's mansion located in the south. Gwendolyn's father and the master of the house, Count Ludwig Everglow, was inspecting the wine cellar. Beside him, an old, white-haired butler stood like a shadow.
A faint frown formed on Count Ludwig Everglow's brow.
"That's strange."
"What are you looking for, my lord?"
"A bottle of the 12-year 'Tears of the Empire' is missing. I put it back after having just one glass at the last imperial birthday banquet."
The butler carefully opened his mouth.
"Um... your daughter took it to the villa in the capital."
"Gwendolyn?"
Count Ludwig Everglow scoffed.
"Impossible. She's not the kind of child who would take my prized wine without telling me."
"Of course. Your words probably aren't a lie either."
He stroked his chin, lost in deep thought.
"Do I have anything scheduled for this weekend?"
"Yes. You have a meeting with Baron Chalmers."
"I'm sorry, but please cancel it."
Ludwig picked up a few bottles of wine to give to his daughter and said.
"I'll have to stop by the villa in the capital."