I hated the undergraduate students whining about the start of the semester. If they spent months playing during the break, they should at least work hard for the remaining time. How long were they planning to slack off! ...
But my thoughts have changed a bit now.
"I've decided to stop with the sour grapes."
"It's so nice to rest during the break."
Now, this world just seems endlessly delightful. Liam, who had been listening to my long-winded speech since the first day of the semester, tilted his head. He stopped unpacking his things and said to me.
"Isaac, you worked during the break too, didn't you?"
"... I did?"
When did I work? I thought I rested quite well during the break.
"You submitted two papers, didn't you?"
"Ah."
"In fact, people have been in a frenzy making handwritten copies of both of them since this morning."
"Oh."
It seems the news about my papers spread faster than I thought. But to think they're both getting a lot of views. It's a strange thing.
It's understandable that the one about the air is attracting a lot of people. That one was a truly great accomplishment. But for the 'suspension' magical device paper, I intentionally omitted parts like the principles.
Such papers usually don't get a high view count. That's because there's nothing to gain from reading it. But for people to still be reading it a lot...
'Just what did Her Highness the Princess do?' This news hit me harder than the story about the workshop being booked solid for the next three years.
'Ah.
I almost forgot again. I really have to build that power hammer.' I've already scouted a riverside location near the capital.
I've bought the land too, so I just need to build a water-powered magical device power hammer there. While I'm at it, I should build a furnace too. I did it in the countryside before coming to the capital, so I should be able to do it even better this time.
However, 'the artisans of the Upperhills Workshop never stopped hammering.' Because as soon as the semester started, I was summoned to the 49th floor. The 49th floor, as you know, is the Dean's floor.
Silence filled the Dean's office. There was another guest besides me.
Glare.
The Head of the School of Wind Element Magic glared at me. ... Actually, I don't know yet if that person is the Head of the School of Wind Element Magic or not. I just guessed so because the pectoral muscles visible under his robes were incredibly large.
'Ah.
So that's why.' I was probably brought here because of the School of Ideal Gas Magic's application for independence. The school head said to me.
"So it was you. The one who incited my subordinates."
"... I didn't incite them."
I just gave them a new name. Of course, I did exchange letters with Professor Gedrick from time to time, but that was for purely academic reasons. The Head of the School of Wind Element Magic said to the Dean.
"Dean. Does this make any sense? The mages of the Magic Tower are passing around a paper that hasn't even been verified."
"And misled by that paper, the School of Wind Element Magic is on the verge of splitting in half!"
But the Dean didn't respond to the school head's words at all. Instead, the elf Dean's eyes were on me. Her blue eyes seemed to pierce right through my heart.
'Does she want to test my response?' My instincts, honed by my past life, moved my body.
"Head of the School, what they want is not separation, but independence for mutual cooperation."
"Don't play with words, brat!"
"Splitting the school in two with some pie-in-the-sky theory and you call it cooperation!"
One wrong move and it feels like my back will be bent the wrong way. But to retreat is to fall. To be afraid is to die.
From now on, I need to control my expression. With a tone that says, 'I deeply admire your research.' I said to him.
"It's not pie-in-the-sky. If the 'School of Ideal Gas Magic' is established, the predictive accuracy of the 6th-circle 'Wind Press' you are researching will also increase dramatically."
"... That's an unpublished paper."
"Haven't you let other Wind Mages read it?"
"That's true... No way. Did you deduce it from a footnote in another paper?"
"That's right."
The school head stared at me intently. After a moment, his mouth opened.
"In the high-latitude northern regions, the incantation change for the 8th-circle 'Great Typhoon' is?"
"It changes every month. Which season would you like to know about?"
The school head was at a loss for words. I'll push once more here.
I continued.
"Let me give you an example. If you cast a 1st-circle Wind Magic spell inside this office right now, changing just one stroke of the magic circle will significantly reduce the rebound."
"... Prove it."
It would be perfect to use magic here... but will I get permission? I looked at the Dean.
Nod.
From her nod, it seems I have permission. I could use the ideal gas equation of state directly, but you never know. To eliminate the turbulence, I have no choice but to borrow the help of fluid mechanics.
The grueling calculations begin. du/dt + u·∇u = -1/ρ∇p + ν∇²u + 1/3ν∇(∇·u) + g It's the same Navier-Stokes equations I used during the Malakai incident, but it has gotten more complicated. That's because, unlike liquids, gases are compressible. Naturally, there's no general solution, so I have to grind through the calculations for an approximate value.
In front of him, I eliminated the minute turbulences causing the rebound in the Wind Magic one by one. Fortunately, it seems he didn't notice that I was using a trick. PV = NkT I overlaid the ideal gas equation of state onto the stabilized atmosphere.
Now, to an unknowing observer, it will look as if the magic activated successfully thanks to the 'Ideal Gas'. Magic construction complete.
Activate. Whoosh.
A small, gentle breeze swirled around the office.
"It wasn't a lie."
A strange light appeared in the school head's eyes.
"... It can move this perfectly? Without any rebound?"
"What do you think?"
Please, take the bait. A moment later, the school head's mouth opened.
"If that's the case, let's verify it as soon as possible."
"Verification?"
"Let's have a thesis review."
"Excellent."
Nice.
Just what I wanted. The verification is, after all, just a master's thesis defense. It's not like some great person would come as an opponent for a paper written by a mere bachelor's graduate.
For the first time, the Dean's mouth opened.
"Good. If you fail the thesis defense, the independence of the 'School of Ideal Gas Magic' will be reconsidered."
Her gaze turned to me.
"However, this way, the conditions are disadvantageous only to you, young Upperhills."
The corner of the Dean's mouth lifted slightly.
"A researcher who contributes to the advancement of the Magic Tower without resting even during the break deserves a proper reward."
Pardon?
"Therefore, if this thesis passes, Researcher Isaac Upperhills will be awarded a master's degree."
In the Magic Tower, the Dean's word is law. And so, my degree was added to the stakes of this defense.
Simon, the Chairman of the Magic Tower Thesis Review Association, chain-smoked once again.
"It's one problem after another... Dammit."
Huuu.
Cigarette smoke filled the meeting room.
"Isaac Upperhills..."
A newcomer who has been in the Magic Tower for less than a year. But none of the stories surrounding him were ordinary. This time, he's under suspicion of trying to split the School of Wind Element Magic in two.
"Come to think of it, that [Calculus] incident was this kid's work too, wasn't it...?"
It seemed this man's name was always mixed up in the major rumors circulating the capital. A nickname like 'troublemaker' suited him more than 'hero'. The chairman said.
"Alright, everyone. Who should review this thesis? A good answer gets you 1,000 gold in discretionary research funds."
"What? Chairman. 1,000 gold is too little for that thesis."
The chairman frowned at his subordinate's protest.
"It's just a master's thesis, what's the big deal?"
"Well, at least I know you haven't read the thesis, Chairman."
"If you were the chairman, would you read every single thesis one by one?"
The chairman clutched his head as he looked at the agenda item for Isaac Upperhills's master's thesis defense. The problem was selecting the opponent. If the opponent's rank was too high, the other students would protest, and if it was too low, the Head of the School of Wind Element Magic would throw a fit.
Just then, 'John Smith', the one who got the bonus last time, carefully spoke up.
"How about asking Professor Doloren? Since he's Mr. Upperhills's master, even if his rank is high, we can smooth it over with the symbolic meaning, can't we?"
Chairman Simon lit a cigarette.
Huuu.
He let out a sigh and replied.
"If he were someone who could be summoned with a few letters, I wouldn't be going through this trouble."
Doloren is like a comet. In that once he passes by, you never know when you'll see him again. His sighs only grew deeper.
Just then, something glittered in the sky outside the window.
"Chairman. Did you just see that? Isn't that a meteor?"
"I don't know, kid. Just get back to work."
Near a river on the outskirts of the Imperial capital. I dipped my hand in the river for a moment. Both the flow rate and the current are suitable.
"This should be good enough."
I was carrying out the foundational work to move the 'Upperhills Workshop' here.
"There shouldn't be any potential legal disputes, either."
To prevent legal disputes and considering potential business expansion, I bought up all the nearby land as well. I have to finish the parts that can be done with magic today so the construction workers can come in tomorrow. For reference, Laura selected the contractors.
Just as I finished the design for the magical device power hammer and was about to start the foundation work, something was caught in my mana detection net. An object plummeting from a high altitude at incredible speed.
"A meteor?" ...
No. The trajectory of the flying object, calculated in reverse with a detection spell, is unnatural. For something that's not a missile, its trajectory is curved. Should I intercept it?
I used a detection spell again. The identity of the flying object revealed as such was...
"A person?"
And a mage who looked quite powerful at that.
Kuuuuuuung!
With a deafening roar, a person fell onto my private property. A crater was formed and a cloud of dust rose.
Billow, billow.
In the center of the crater, once the dust settled, a woman had landed in a pose with both legs and one arm on the ground. It was a picture-perfect superhero landing pose.
"Thankfully, my clothes are fine."
The impact probably hadn't even subsided, but the mage was already worrying about her clothes. Her tightly tied ponytail and well-toned body stood out. There was also a dagger hanging from her waist. .
A Combat Mage?
She said.
"Where am I?"
It was the first time in my life I'd seen such a spectacle, so I ended up giving a rather stupid answer.
"The Imperial capital's... my private property."
The woman scoffed at my words.
"So, you're telling me to get out?"
"... No. Not necessarily."
"According to Imperial law, land transactions are limited to the 'surface'. Did you buy the underground development rights too?"
The crater was quite deep, so legally speaking, the woman was right. She climbed out of the pit triumphantly. I asked her.
"Are you by any chance a Combat Mage or a Wind Mage?"
"No. I'm not an element-type mage."
I glanced at the crater. Calculating the impact in reverse, that much force would mean instant death even with a defensive spell. 'She's suspicious no matter how I look at her...
Could she be an underworld mage? Would they come so openly like this?
No way.'
I asked her.
"What is your name? For reference, my name is Howard."
"Yeah. I'm 'Jane Doe'."
'Jane Doe'.
It's a term for an unidentified woman. Isn't she being a bit too obvious that it's an alias? 'Until I find out her identity, I can't let her into the capital.'
I observed her actions carefully. Looking around, looking around. She looked around her surroundings and then continued.
"A blacksmith's... no, a steel mill?"
Her eyes turned to the power hammer blueprints.
"The circuit is clean. It's comforting to see something like this after always looking at dirty ancient magic."
I remained silent.
As expected.
It seems she's a mage with considerable skill.
She continued.
"Wow, what's this. This isn't an ordinary waterwheel, is it? A structure that uses leftover power to lift a weight to a high position, then slowly extracts the power by lowering it whenever needed. That's brilliant."
She saw through the core principle of the magical device in an instant. '... To think she recognized the gravitational potential energy storage system.' The corners of my mouth twitched unconsciously.
Whether she's from the underworld or not, someone you can communicate with is precious. I said to her.
"Perhaps you're curious about the principle?"
"Hm?"
If a problem arises, let's deal with it later. If worst comes to worst, I can just feed her an iron ball.