Late. I'm late.
A cold sweat broke out on the coachman’s back.
Rattle, rattle.
The carriage, running at top speed, swayed precariously on the dirt road. The coachman muttered.
"If I don't deliver this by today, I'll have to pay a penalty..."
It was a contract to transport goods from the eastern district to the capital. He had done it many times before, so he was confident. But whether it was good luck or bad, the coachman had spotted traces of a griffin on his way.
If he didn't want to die, he had to keep an eye on the sky and drive the carriage carefully, and naturally, the delivery speed had slowed. A curse escaped the coachman's lips.
"If it weren't for that damned Barren Mountain, I wouldn't be going through all this trouble..."
That mountain stood squarely in the way of the fastest route to the capital. It was a bald mountain with not a single tree to log, a nuisance that was useless and only blocked the road. Because of that blasted mountain, he had to take a detour of at least half a day...
For a coachman on the verge of paying a penalty, it was a source of great resentment.
"Can't someone get rid of it with magic...?"
Just as he exited the forest path and came face to face with the Barren Mountain. The coachman doubted his own eyes. An entire mountain had vanished.
He was speechless. Was it an illusion? The coachman pinched the inside of his thigh, hard.
It hurt.
It was not an illusion.
"Dear gods... what am I seeing..."
The coachman looked around, wondering if he had taken a wrong turn. But the surrounding terrain was definitely familiar. The coachman stared blankly at the vanished mountain.
As if a giant had scooped out the mountain whole with a shovel, a large hole was punched through the middle of the mountain range, creating a vast plain. And in the center of that basin sat something even more bizarre.
"Is that... a dome?"
Like an overturned bowl, a huge earthen dome in the shape of a perfect hemisphere stood firm in the center of the basin. It was an unreal sight one could believe was a mark left by a god.
"What in the world... happened here?"
The coachman's mind couldn't even begin to grasp it. Fear crept over him. But at the same time, the matter of the 'penalty fee' spurred his body into motion.
If he crossed the place where the mountain had disappeared, he could save about half a day.
"... Ah, whatever."
The coachman steered his carriage toward the newly formed plain. Back when Isaac was still unconscious. Even though he himself was not moving, rumors about Isaac spread throughout the capital.
Especially among the graduate students of the Magic Tower.
"Did you hear? The rumor about Isaac Upperhills's thesis defense."
"... It feels like a new rumor about him pops up every week. Is there news about anyone else?"
"This time it's for real. It's insane."
"You better... this had better be interesting, or you're dead."
"So, it goes like this..."
And so, a certain graduate student came to hear a tale of mythical proportions. That Isaac's master's thesis defense had caused a mountain to vanish, that his opponent had been the Head of the Doloren school, and that Isaac had defeated her to earn his degree...
"So? Insane, right?"
"... Isn't that just a baseless rumor? Everyone knows Upperhills is a super rookie, but he's not that good."
Doloren was a Great Mage. Engaging in a thesis defense with a Great Mage was surprising enough, but winning? That would never happen, not in a million years.
"But the rumor is really specific. They say a weird dome appeared in the center of where the mountain disappeared."
"Have you seen it yourself?"
"No. That's why I brought it up. I was thinking we could go check it out together if you have time."
"... It'll probably be a wasted trip."
Just then, a researcher of Wind Element Magic who had been in a corner spoke up.
"Well, it's true that a defense took place there."
All eyes turned to her.
"We were the ones who carried the desks to prepare for the defense. We were up all night."
"Ah..."
They couldn't outright deny the testimony steeped in a graduate student's sweat and sorrow. And so, they left the Magic Tower to go see the 'strange dome'. In a certain salon in the capital.
While the master's students went off to see the dome, the school heads were deep in thought. They had all witnessed Isaac's thesis defense.
"What if... what if that absolute zero is still remaining inside the dome?"
At one school head's words, everyone fell silent. They could not forget the sight within the isolated system. That pitch-black space, as if a piece of the world had been carved out, possessed the power to destroy the world by its very existence.
Fortunately, the supernova named Isaac Upperhills had sacrificed himself to seal it within several layers of a dome, but... There was a possibility that the calamity was still alive and breathing inside that dome.
"I think we need to take some measures."
"Do you have a plan?"
"Hmm... I can't think of any brilliant solution. How on earth would one get rid of something like that?"
Just then, the Head of the School of Sound Magic spoke as if a clever idea had struck him.
"We may not have to get rid of it. Because there won't be a problem."
"Do you have any grounds for that?"
"Think about it. If that dangerous magic was still inside the dome, do you think the Dean would have just stood by?"
"I suppose not."
If that were the case, the Dean would have pulled out one of Head Doloren's old theses and challenged her to a Demonstration Defense under the pretext of a 're-evaluation'. The Dean was more than capable of doing such a thing. At the words of the Head of the School of Sound Magic, the other school heads nodded.
It was a valid point. The Dean's silence meant the capital was safe. Just as everyone felt relieved, one school head tilted his head.
He said, "Wait a moment. That's a bit strange."
"What's the problem?"
"In that case... are you saying that Isaac Upperhills, who just got his master's degree, overpowered the magic of Head Doloren, a former Great Mage?"
The 'absolute zero' had vanished, and the dome remained. If that was indeed true, the outcome of this defense could be interpreted that way. At the same time, in the Dean's office on the 49th floor of the Magic Tower.
Dean Magarta was sharing tea with Princess Isolde for the first time in a while.
"So in the end, the absolute zero disappeared and only a giant dome remained, is that it?"
The Dean replied to the princess's words.
"Yes. That is correct. If it had been the other way around, I would have had to duel Doloren to erase that domain."
"... I'm glad I won't have to see an isolated system three times in one day."
The princess continued.
"In that case, should we consider our young Mr. Upperhills to have reached the level of a Great Mage?"
A certain word in the princess's question caught the Dean's attention.
'Our Upperhills?
Every researcher is strictly under the jurisdiction of the Magic Tower...' Seeing the Dean pause with her teacup in hand, the princess tilted her head.
"Is there a problem?"
"Not at all. I was just lost in thought for a moment."
The Dean continued.
"Even though Researcher Upperhills obtained his degree, the victor of that day was the Head of the Doloren school."
"Is that so... a pity."
"It can't be helped. Young Mr. Upperhills cannot yet create an isolated system on his own."
The isolated system Isaac Upperhills had deployed that day had been 'overlaid' on Doloren's; it wasn't constructed from scratch. The only reason a dome remained in reality instead of absolute zero was because absolute zero was truly a miracle possible only within an isolated system.
Tsk.
The princess clicked her tongue. The Dean watched her and chuckled.
"There's no need to be so disappointed. Young Mr. Upperhills is a child who will become a Great Mage within ten years."
"How can I wait ten years! It's hard enough to wait now..."
Thump.
Princess Isolde stood up from her seat and said, "This won't do. I must see young Isaac right now."
"Unfortunately, the child has not yet regained consciousness."
"Damn it. If it weren't for that mad mage Doloren..."
"The reason young Mr. Upperhills collapsed is strictly due to his own fault."
The princess knew that much.
"You weren't exactly sitting still yourself at the time, Dean. Are you changing your tune now?"
Clink.
The Dean's movement, as she was drinking her tea, stopped. The gazes of the two powerful figures clashed. A moment later, the Dean spoke.
"Your Highness, the Wind Element Magic conference is in a few days. Don't you think the child needs time to rest until then?"
"Oh, dear. I was being inconsiderate..."
And so, the meeting between the princess and Isaac was postponed. For Isaac's rest. However, despite their consideration, Isaac only regained consciousness the day before the conference was set to be held.
The next day. I was back at the villa on the outskirts of the capital where the exam committee had been held. 'I'm starting to get attached to this place.'
I lightly stretched my body before the keynote speech. The backlash from the isolated system still lingered, so I couldn't use magic, but I was more confident than ever. Because 'Great Mage' Sir Valerius was standing next to me.
I had realized during my battle with Doloren just how incredible people like Great Mages were. I said to Valerius, "Thank you, always."
"What's this all of a sudden? Are you nervous, disciple of Doloren?"
"No, not at all. Miss Laura polished the speech, so all I have to do is read it."
"Let me see."
I handed the keynote speech manuscript to Valerius.
"Oh. This is good. The first line is especially impressive."
"That's the part I insisted on adding."
"... You have a bit of a literary talent too, disciple of Doloren."
A moment later, at the host's call, I stepped up to the podium. I scanned the seminar room. There was a crowd of figures from the capital's Magic Tower, including the school heads.
And there were also several professors who had helped me during the exam committee. They all looked at me in silence. To think a mere master's graduate could make so many professors wait.
I felt the same sense of omnipotence as when I first used the isolated system. Facing them, I uttered the first sentence. -"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." The speech ended smoothly.
Clap, clap, clap, clap! The sound of that applause was the proof. There must have been those who opposed my theory, but they wouldn't be able to speak up openly right now.
In this moment, the 'School of Ideal Gas Magic' had become independent. As my presentation concluded, a familiar face approached me.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
It was Professor Gedrick, who had been the head of the exam committee.
He continued.
"A fitting sentiment for us, who no longer have to fear the rebound. Is it from a poem?"
"... It was said by someone I know."
"An impressive person, I see."
I nodded silently. He certainly was impressive. He was, after all, a man who had served four terms as President of the United States.
"Anyway, I said I'd see you after you got your master's, but I didn't think it would be this soon."
"Next time, please say you'll see me after I get my doctorate. Then it will come true, won't it?"
Gedrick fell silent at my joke.
Hmm. That flopped. Joke failed.
Gedrick seemed to be thinking deeply before he opened his mouth.
"... I have a feeling it will happen even if I don't say it."
"Pardon?"
Immediately after, other professors who supported 'Ideal Gas Magic' flocked over, excluding Gedrick.
"Good to see you, young Upperhills!"
"I heard you got your master's! Congratulations!"
They were all such stout individuals that their voices were on another level. My ears were ringing. After that, a conversation with the professors followed.
We didn't talk about realistic things like what their sons were doing or what their spouses were up to, but only about the pleasant topic of academics. The Western Magic Tower school said they plan to research 'weather forecasting' in the future. 'That path ahead will be hell...'
I prayed for their souls. The southern group wanted to try improving the efficiency of existing wind magic under the condition of 'ideal gas'. It was the most standard route, so I cheered them on.
"So what research is the eastern group conducting?"
"Recruiting new students."
"Pardon?"
"We're promoting that people can now join our school even if they're not in good health."
Nurturing the next generation... That is very important. After a round of talk about research came to an end, there was a lull.
It was then that Gedrick spoke to me.
"Actually, there's something I'd like to propose."
"A research collaboration? I think I'll be busy for now, but if you could wait..."
"No. It's not like that."
The atmosphere was somewhat serious. I looked around. The professors' faces were all bright.
This can't be right...
Gedrick continued.
"We intend to nominate you as the inaugural head of the School of Ideal Gas Magic."
"... What? Me?"
That's impossible.
The minimum requirement for a school head is to be a chief professor, a condition I had yet to meet.
Gedrick replied.
"Of course, it's impossible, but that's why we've decided to leave the school head position vacant until you are qualified."
At Gedrick's words, the surrounding professors nodded their heads.
He continued.
"We all decided so."